Fort Protocol did not collapse.
If anything, it upgraded.
Denki somehow found glow sticks.
Mina reorganized the pillows "for maximum comfort and dramatic effect."
Kirishima reinforced one side of the blanket wall like it was a fortress under siege.
Bakugou claimed he "wasn't participating," yet somehow adjusted the TV angle for better visibility.
And me?
I was determined not to let three sticky notes ruin the night.
"She's outside," I said at one point, casually grabbing another handful of chips.
Kaito glanced toward the window. "Yeah."
Mina followed his gaze.
The fairy lights inside the fort cast soft shadows across the room.
And through the thin opening between blankets—
You could see it.
A shadow.
On the ground outside the common room window.
Still.
Watching.
Crème-blonde hair wasn't visible.
But the outline was unmistakable.
The Pulse wasn't sharp.
It wasn't flaring.
It felt… curious.
Like it was waiting to see what I'd do.
And honestly?
I was tired of being the one reacting.
So I stood up.
"Ren?" Kaito said carefully.
I walked to the snack pile.
Grabbed a red plastic cup.
Filled it with root beer.
Then grabbed a small bowl and dumped a generous amount of chips into it.
Denki blinked. "What are you doing."
"Something stupid," I said calmly.
Mina gasped. "No."
Bakugou narrowed his eyes. "Don't."
Too late.
I walked to the window.
The shadow shifted slightly outside.
I unlocked it and slid it open just enough to lean out.
Cool night air rushed in.
The shadow straightened.
I placed the cup and the bowl carefully on the ground just outside the window.
Not close enough for her to grab me.
Not dramatic.
Just… casual.
Then I looked directly at the shadow.
"If you're going to watch," I said evenly, "you might as well have snacks."
Behind me, Denki whispered, "OH MY GOD."
Mina slapped a hand over her mouth to stop herself from laughing.
Bakugou muttered, "You're insane."
Kaito stepped up beside me, just in case.
The shadow didn't move at first.
The Pulse hummed softly.
Not angry.
Not violent.
Surprised.
Then—
A soft giggle.
Light.
Airy.
Amused.
The shadow tilted its head.
I couldn't see her face clearly.
But I could feel it.
That wide, too-excited smile.
"You're funny," she called softly from the dark.
My stomach flipped.
I didn't respond.
Just slid the window shut and locked it again.
Then I turned around like I hadn't just offered snacks to a League member.
Denki was staring at me like I'd grown a second head.
"You just… catered to her."
"No," I said, crawling back into the fort. "I set the tone."
Mina blinked. "That was kind of iconic."
Bakugou scoffed. "Or reckless."
Midoriya was thinking way too hard about it. "That shifts the power dynamic."
Kirishima grinned. "That was bold."
Kaito sat back down beside me. "You good?"
I nodded.
The Pulse felt… different.
Not prey.
Not target.
Not hunted.
Just aware.
We turned the movie back up.
Ten minutes passed.
Laughter returned.
Denki challenged everyone to a soda-chug contest (terrible idea).
Mina failed halfway through and started laughing.
Kirishima won.
Bakugou complained the whole time.
I laughed again.
Real laughter.
And when I glanced toward the window—
The shadow was still there.
But closer now to the ground.
Lower.
Like she was crouched.
Near the cup.
Near the chips.
Watching us.
Not interrupting.
Just… observing.
The Pulse gave a soft warmth in my chest.
She didn't want destruction tonight.
She wanted interaction.
And I'd just given her something unexpected.
After another few minutes—
The shadow slowly stood.
Stepped back.
And disappeared into the dark.
The root beer and chips were still there.
Untouched.
But she'd stayed.
Longer than before.
"She left," Kaito murmured.
"Yeah," I said.
Denki pointed at me. "You're never allowed to say you're not dramatic again."
I grinned slightly.
"Fort Protocol continues."
Mina threw a pillow at me.
And inside our ridiculous blanket fortress—
We kept laughing. Kirishima fist-bumped us all. "Best Buddy Group time!"